Electrostatic atomization is well known in the art and has usually been used to accumulate onto base plates a trace amount of the various chemical substances like DNA, antibodies and proteins.
For example, the conventional electrostatic atomizer disclosed in Patent Publication 1 is an apparatus to spot or laminate onto base plates non-volatile diluted biomolecule solution. FIG. 14 illustrates the conventional electrostatic atomizer. By applying several kV of high-voltage between the capillary tubes 505 filled with protein solution and the dielectric layer 504, a mist of the protein solution is sprayed onto the base plate 502 from the tips of the capillary tubes 505.
Electrostatic atomizer illustrated in FIG. 14 accumulates any chemical solution at the desired positions 503 by controlling electrical conductivity in the dielectric layer 504 formed on the base plate 502 or generating a topical electric field with the hole at the dielectric layer 504. This method was certainly effective in the manufacture of those so called DNA chips or protein chips wherein DNA or protein is sequentially spotted or laminated onto base plates.
[Patent Citation 1]
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2002-511792 (Page 78, FIG. 9, and optionally Page 31, Lines 12-13, FIGS. 3, 4 and 19)
[Patent Citation 2]
Japanese Patent Publication No. 3952052
[Patent Citation 3]
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 7-190990 (in particular FIG. 3)
[Patent Citation 4]
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 7-270285 (in particular Paragraphs of 0001 and 0008)